Book Review: A Witch’s Guide to Fake Dating a Demon by Sarah Hawley

A Witch’s Guide to Fake Dating a Demon
By Sarah Hawley
March 7, 2023
Genre: paranormal romance, romantic comedy

Publisher: Berkley
Mariel Spark knows not to trust a demon, especially one that wants her soul, but what’s a witch to do when he won’t leave her side—and she kind of doesn’t want him to?

Mariel Spark is prophesied to be the most powerful witch seen in centuries of the famed Spark family, but to the displeasure of her mother, she prefers baking to brewing potions and gardening to casting hexes. When a spell to summon flour goes very wrong, Mariel finds herself staring down a demon—one she inadvertently summoned for a soul bargain.

Ozroth the Ruthless is a legend among demons. Powerful and merciless, he drives hard bargains to collect mortal souls. But his reputation has suffered ever since a bargain went awry—if he can strike a bargain with Mariel, he will earn back his deadly reputation. Ozroth can't leave Mariel's side until they complete a bargain, which she refuses to do (turns out some humans are attached to their souls).

But the witch is funny. And curvy. And disgustingly yet endearingly cheerful. Becoming awkward roommates quickly escalates when Mariel, terrified to confess the inadvertent summoning to her mother, blurts out that she's dating Ozroth. As Ozroth and Mariel struggle with their opposing goals and maintaining a fake relationship, real attraction blooms between them. But Ozroth has a limited amount of time to strike the deal, and if Mariel gives up her soul, she'll lose all her emotions—including love—which will only spell disaster for them both.

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Mariel Spark comes from a family line of highly powerful witches. The problem is, though Mariel is prophesized to be a powerhouse, her magic is a perennial flop. Despite her best efforts, Mariel can never live up to her family’s expectations and her purported legacy. While practicing her craft, Mariel accidently summons legendary demon Ozroth the Ruthless and unintentionally binds him to earth until their soul pact is complete. Ozroth must capture her soul before he can return to the underworld. Only Mariel would prefer her soul remain intact, and so begins a game of cat and mouse. “Oz” has his own issues. Since a recent soul acquisitions, he hasn’t been quite the same. He’s been feeling, empathizing just a little too much and the demon powers that be aren’t happy. Mariel and Oz form a tenuous alliance, posing as romantic partners until they can find a mutually beneficial solution. Soon, however, the fake romance begins to take real roots, putting them both in danger.

A Witch’s Guide to Fake Dating a Demon was a quick read, rather fun and entertaining. I literally laughed out loud several times throughout. I also liked the author’s wink and nod to contemporary societal issues and events such as the environment, healthcare system, and even the college admission scandal. I did not, however, like Mariel. Her character was all over the place ranging from a kind, loving amateur botanist to a petty, impetuous child. Mariel’s mother is an absolute caricature with no redeeming qualities, yet their issues are neatly tied up by the end of the book. The romance aspect is graphic, so if you’re not into that sort of thing, you’ve been warned. Usually, I don’t mind, but since I hadn’t connected to the couple, I found myself glossing over these scenes.

This book leads nicely into the coming second installment featuring Oz’s mentor and demon baddie Astaroth and Mariel’s fitness fanatic witch friend Calladia. Astaroth is a promising character with style and swagger to spare. I am intrigued and may pick up the second installment of this series.

Three Sheep

Bianca Greenwood

About the Author:

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Sarah Hawley is an author of romance and fantasy novels. She was a winner of RevPit 2018, and her short stories and satirical articles have been published by Hooked, Slackjaw, The Belladonna Comedy, and Points in Case. She co-hosts the Wicked Wallflowers Club podcast about romance fiction, which was featured on Entertainment Weekly’s “Must List” as “a compelling reminder of why the oft-dismissed genre is a real force in cultural conversations about consent and desire.”

Sarah has an MA in archaeology and has excavated at an Inca site in Chile, a Bronze Age palace in Turkey, and a medieval abbey in England. When not dreaming up whimsical love stories, she can be found reading, dancing, or cuddling her two cats.

Interview: Jeremy Whitley (The Dog Knight graphic novel)

Give a big Sheep welcome to The Dog Knight writer Jeremy Whitley!

Do you have a dog?

I do! Though, fun fact, I’m a little bit allergic and didn’t want to get a dog. My daughters, on the other hand, wanted nothing more. They talked us into going out to the local rescue and finding a dog and I just accepted that I was going to need to take allergy medicine pretty regularly.

However, once we got there, the girls were running around playing with every dog on the little farm they had. Meanwhile, this big old hound dog came up to me and gently but insistently pushed his haunches up against me and quietly demanded to be scratched. He was so funny and silly and…a little bit dumb. I fell in love with that big oaf. We named him Ace and he mostly lives on our couch these days.

Ace

How did the idea of The Dog Knight come to you? Characters first or story first?
This one was pretty unusual in that it came together concept first. Dogs are so weird and they do so many little things that don’t seem to make sense. The idea that they were quietly fighting some secret war to protect humans was where it started. But I liked the idea of there being one human character that got a look into this world and help dogs do the things that dogs can’t.

Once I had that idea locked in, the question became “what kind of person would dogs choose? What sort of things would dogs look for in a champion? Frankie as a character was born from that question along with the question of what sort of person could need the sort of absolute and unquestioning love that dogs provide.

How did you find a publisher interested in The Dog Knight?
Well, all credit here goes to my agent Moe Ferrara. As soon as I brought the concept to her, she said “I know who will love this book” and she was right. It was the really basic concept and a few plot points when Holly West at Feiwel and Friends saw it, but she saw the potential in it right away. From there it was just a question of chipping away at the marble until we had the full picture. The full picture being of course a non-binary drummer kid wearing a helmet with big fluffy ears on it.

As a cis-white male (if I’m wrong, please correct me) why did you choose a Black non-binary character like Frankie?

Well, as a cis white male, there is not a shortage of heroes out there that look like me. There’s a superhero movie about one coming out almost every month this year. I think it’s much more important to tell stories about people who are under-represented in these types of stories.

When I started making comics, I wanted to make sure that my daughters could see themselves represented in comics the same way I had been able to. 

That’s what led me to create Princeless. I continue to let that desire to build characters that might represent and inspire young readers in ways they’ve never experienced in fiction drive the kind of characters I write. Right now, non-binary and trans kids are being made to feel wrong and excluded throughout the United States and other countries, but particularly here in the south. I have the amazing luck of knowing a number of incredible non-binary people in my life and I wanted kids and other readers who might not have that same luck to be able to see it in fiction. This story called for someone who is themselves even when it’s difficult and Frankie was the perfect fit.

How did you find your artist, Bre Indigo?
When I first brought the book to Feiwel and Friends, one of their conditions for picking it up was that they got to approve the artist/art style we used for it. I was fine with that under the condition that we find an artist who was non-binary. I wanted to make sure we had somebody who understood the importance of that aspect of Frankie as well as or better than me and could check me on mistakes I might not even realize I was making.

To their credit, F&F was very amicable to this request and brought me art from several different non-binary artists that they liked for the project. When I saw Bre’s art, I was sold immediately. I knew they were the perfect choice for this book and I was so excited when it turned out they were available to do it. I literally haven’t had a second thought about it since then. I think Bre is the secret sauce that takes this book from something I thought was good to something that’s extraordinary. Every time I get new art for the book, I have to do a little happy dance. They’re so good!

How much creative license did Bre have to illustrate your story? As a Black queer person, did Bre share some insight you might not have thought about?
That insight was actually something I was excited to receive. I told Bre from the get-go that if there was ever anything in the story that they thought didn’t work or needed to change, to let me know. As long as fixing it didn’t break some other part of the story, I’m prepared to change it on their say-so. I always want artists I work with to feel like a book is collaborative and not just some case where they’ve been hired as employees to realize my perfect artistic vision. But I think with this book that was even more true than usual. I can confident in saying that his book would not be the book it is without Bre.

Do you have a favorite dog in The Dog Knight?

This is a harder question than you would think because it often changes depending on the dog I’m writing at the time, but I think the truth is, once the art comes back, it has to be The Yorkshire Terror.

Just writing the Batman-esque dialog that comes from the Champion of Justice makes me chuckle, but seeing this tiny little Yorkie deliver the lines in Bre’s style never fails to tickle me. I may never come up with another concept as purely funny as “a yorkie with the attitude of Batman”

Do you have a personal playlist for The Dog Knight? What music would play during the gremlin battles? What music would Frankie listen to?
You know, I have specific playlists for some other projects but not really for The Dog Knight. I honestly write a lot of film scores and orchestral music. I spent a lot of the writing of this series listening to my playlist full of John Williams music.

As for Frankie, I think they choose a lot of the stuff they love based on the drums. They like a good mix of rock, pop, r&b and rap, but really like songs with a great beat that they can try and figure out on their snare and play along with.

What is Frankie’s favorite meal?

You know, I think Frankie is the kind of kid who will try just about anything once but ultimately prefers old favorites like mac and cheese.

What is your favorite meal?
I’m a sucker for a nice big bowl of Ramen. Especially Tonkatsu, but really any warm bowl of broth and noodles with a ramen egg will do it for me. I’ve become the sort of old man who’s a big fan of things in the soup family at the ripe old age of thirty-eight.

Chapter 9: The Trial of Smell was my favorite (Chapter 8 Trial of Justice was a close second!) Do you have a favorite chapter? And Why?
That’s a tough question, but I think I’m with you on this one. The Trial of Smell is a rare and wonderful example of, when I was outlining, only having a very vague idea of what I was going to do and then really finding it in the moment as I was writing. I don’t want to pay myself on the back too hard, but I think a lot of this is Bre’s doing as well. It could have easily been the worst or least engaging test, but on the page, it just clicks. I love both the chapter and the two characters who are introduced in it.

The Dog Knight (The Dog Knight, 1)
by Jeremy Whitley (Author), Bre Indigo (Illustrator), Melissa Capriglione (colorist)
May 16, 2023
Genre: graphic novel, middle-grade, fantasy, superhero, Children's Animal Comics , Children's Fantasy Comics, comics

Publisher: Macmillian
A nonbinary middle schooler saves a dog from bullies and is offered the chance to become the Dog Knight, protector of a magical pact between humans and dogs, in the first book of this humorous and heartwarming middle-grade graphic novel series from Jeremy Whitely, author of Princeless, and Bre Indigo, illustrator of Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy: A Graphic Novel.

Frankie knows who they are. They’re a drummer, they’re nonbinary, and they’re… the Dog Knight?

One day Frankie is a relatively normal middle schooler, with relatively normal challenges, like finding the perfect outfit to wear during their drum solo during the upcoming band concert. The next, they save a friendly golden retriever from bullies and suddenly find themselves in a giant magical doghouse, with a funny looking helmet, talking to a group of dog superheroes called the Pawtheon about a job offer.

If Frankie can prove that they possess the six dog virtues of loyalty, kindness, honesty, justice, stubbornness, and smell, they will be named the Dog Knight and be given the power to fight alongside the Pawtheon and save the world from the forces of chaos.

Maybe there is more to Frankie than they thought?

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About the Author

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A writer of comic books, books, podcasts, and more living in Durham, North Carolina. He is the creator of the Eisner Nominated and Glyph award winning series "Princeless" as well as it spin-off "Raven the Pirate Princess" and "The School for Extraterrestrial Girls." He has also written several books and comics for Marvel Comics including the critically-acclaimed "The Unstoppable Wasp", "The Future Foundation", "Champions", and "Avengers". He has also written over fifty issues of the "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic" comic book series.

Interview: Urban Fantasy Author Shari Nichols + excerpt

Ten Questions with Shari Nichols:

1. What made you choose Raven’s Hollow as your setting?
RH is actually Hoboken NJ. I’ve visited the town with a friend (I live about an hour away) and it’s actually a great place for an urban fantasy. There are lots of restaurants, bars, a gorgeous hotel and a spooky cave, which is featured in book two, MIDNIGHT TEMPTATION.

2. When you aren’t writing, you are____
Working on my thesis for grad school, doing yoga and Pilates, walking at the park. Going out to dinner with family and friends. Drinking Matcha lattes and cheap chardonnay.

3. Your hardest book to write.
MIDNIGHT CRAVING because of the intricate suspense element. Imagine if every person you ever cared about became the target of a madman? Then set it in a paranormal world and make it a romance. The reviews have been amazing and it’s up for an award, so I guess it was worth it! J

4. Your ideal writing place.
My desk. But I get ideas in the shower, while I’m driving, or watching TV. I write things on scraps of paper or on the notes app on my phone. I got a moleskin notebook from my son’s fiancée that I need to start using.

5. Your favorite childhood book.
All of the Judy Blume books. I devoured them. I’ve always been drawn to characters with everyday problems. I try to remember that and use it to breathe life into my characters.

6. The book you’ve reread the most.
I’ve reread Beautiful Bastard by Christina Lauren a million times and it always makes me crack up. Likewise with Tangled by Emma Chase. I love their quirky voices. Their books are so fun!

7. Your favorite hero from literature.
Mr. Darcy of course. He’s so complicated, and there’s all this brooding and sexual energy thrumming beneath the surface. I love him.

8. The name of your autobiography.
Keep It Going- I enjoy learning new things, and try to look at the world with wonder. I’ll try a new recipe and I love meeting new people. It keeps things fresh. I’m interested in anything to do with wellness and anti-aging.

9. Your favorite comfort food.
Dark chocolate, lime chips with avocado.

10. Where have you always wanted to travel?
Greece, Australia, Israel, Egypt, England, France, Scotland. I’d love to hit all the castles and do the Outlander tour.

After Midnight (Raven's Hollow Coven #4)
by Shari Nichols
February 7th, 2023
Genre: Urban Fantasy
An ancient curse has prevented astrologer Brooke Howe from finding true love. She hides her longing by matching others, hoping to change her fate. When Nico Denopoulos, the gorgeous younger brother of a friend, struts into her shop seeking a soulmate, she’s immediately drawn to his magnetic presence and his romantic heart. She can’t deny the intense sensation that she knows the sexy-as- sin chef, but can’t figure out why.

An ugly divorce has kept Nico laser-focused on the opening of his new restaurant. He’s been single for years, but now loneliness has crept into the cracks of his heart. Fearing that he‘s grown bitter, he has high hopes that Brooke can help him with his problem, except for one thing— the more time he spends with her, the more he wants her—in every possible way.

As much as Brooke wants to believe Nico is the real deal, she fears that when the seasons change, so will his feelings. She’s terrified of falling for him, and despite her best efforts to resist him, they’re inexorably drawn together. She can’t help but wonder if he may hold the secret to reversing the curse and changing her destiny. A secret from their shared past life will either bring them closer, or tear them apart forever.

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“Step onto my shoes.” Nico took Brooke’s hand in his and rested the other at the small of her back. They moved to the music like they’d been dancing together for years. He pulled her close and she became languid in his arms.

“Where did you learn how to dance?”

“I took lessons once upon a time,” he murmured. “I’ve been waiting all night to hold you in my arms.” The rhythm of their breaths mingled together.

Brooke got the sensation of falling even though he held her tight. “This night has been magical.”

“For me too.” Nico lifted her chin up with his thumb and gazed at her lips. Hunger burned in his dark eyes. “I can think of a few ways it can get a whole lot better. I’ve been dying to kiss you all night.” He bent his head and his lips brushed against hers, sweet and tentative at first. But when he sucked on her lower lip, she moaned and opened for him. His tongue swept into her mouth in deep velvet strokes, scorching her clean. He tasted like wine and chocolate, sweet and decadent.

His fingers moved to her waist and brushed across her skin in the most sensual way. She dug her fingers into the lush strands of his hair as the kiss raged on. Tilting his head to the side, he deepened the kiss, making her toes curl. The lush sweeps of his tongue forced her to draw breath.

A low primal groan escaped from his lips, and she didn’t think she’d ever heard anything sexier in her life. The drugging taste of his mouth stirred her hunger. She could see herself becoming an addict, always looking for the next fix. She’d always dreamed of a lover kissing her like this, making her burn, and the more time she spent with him, the more she couldn’t get over the sensation that she knew him before, in a past life.

Nico pulled away and his lips fastened to her neck. He trailed open-mouthed kisses along her collar bone. “I want you, Brooke, so damn much it hurts. I have from the first second I laid eyes on you. I’ve been fantasizing about you for months, but I was conflicted because I was with someone else. It also made me realize that she wasn’t the one.”

Her chest heaved. “I want you too, Nico, but this is all happening so fast.” She didn’t jump into bed on the first date, but his sultry kisses fired something wild and wanton in her blood.

“This isn’t like me.” He pressed his forehead to hers. “Getting to know you has only made me want you more.”

Her knees weakened. She’d never experienced this kind of passion before. This wasn’t only about attraction. She liked him… a lot, which made this even more complicated. After tonight, she’d probably never see him again. But how could she deny her mind and her body from the sizzling chemistry pulsing between them?

“All I could think about while I was making tonight’s dessert was licking the chocolate off your bare skin,” he whispered close to her ear, making her shiver.

What could she say to that?

“Come home with me, Brooke,” he rasped, pressing another sensual kiss to her lips. “I know we should wait, and that I should woo you properly. If we have sex too soon it might start this relationship off in the wrong direction, but all I can think about is being inside you.”

Nico’s raw, honest words made her ache and aroused her even more. A voice in her head told her to cut bait and call it a night, but another voice told her she might not ever get this chance again. She preached romance and spontaneity to her clients all the time so why shouldn’t she experience it for herself? Placing her hand on his chest, his heart pounded in the same wild rhythm as hers. “How long does it take to get to your place?”

Scorching heat flared in his eyes as Nico squeezed her ass. “We can be there in fifteen minutes if I speed.”

A rush of desire flowed through every cell and nerve ending. Their scorching need for each other melted the last of her defenses away. “What are we waiting for?”

About the Author
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Shari grew up in a small town in Connecticut where haunted houses, ghosts and Ouija boards were common place, spurring her fascination with all things paranormal. When she’s not writing, she’s reading, going to the gym, or sharing a meal, and a glass of wine, with her family and friends.

Shari Nichols shakes up the ultimate supernatural cocktail, combining witchcraft, vampires, suspense, and spice into an irresistible paranormal potion.” (InD’Tale Magazine) “Amazing characters, romance, and suspense what more can a lover of paranormal romance hope for?” (Linda Tonis-Paranormal Romance Guild.)

Her newest book, MIDNIGHT CRAVING, book three in the Raven’s Hollow Coven series is available for preorder. Her novels have won the following awards: The Beverley Award, New York Book Festival Honorable Mention, Reviewers Choice Best Book, Reviewers Choice Best Series, Golden Leaf Finalist Best Book, Golden Leaf Finalist by a New Jersey Author, HOLT Medallion Finalist. Literary Titan Silver Medal Winner.

New Release: Scorched (The Linked Trilogy Book One) by Cassie Swindon + giveaway

Scorched (The Linked Trilogy Book One)
by Cassie Swindon
3/3/23
Genre: Fantasy Romance
ASIN: B09VCJR15N
Number of pages: 350
Cover Artist: Christian Bentulan
“All males deserve to rot in eternal Abyss.”

Kyra Kozelski
Every male disappeared.

Turns out, I did that. Who knew I possessed Magik?

However, Jadox Griffin is still here- the only surviving male- a quiet, annoying soldier who definitely doesn’t have eyes to die for.

I need his help to return my nephew before it’s too late. But Jadox is hiding something, and a whispered threat is creeping closer with each passing moment.

Jadox Griffin
Kyra is gorgeous, powerful, and a pain in my ass. Her idiotic wish turns the world upside down.

Lying to her is necessary to find the answers I seek. Time is running out. Making her believe I’m her only hope is vital. Except I’m not.

And when she finds out the truth, I might be the next to disappear

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About the Author:
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Instead of the boring bio info, here’s some interesting tidbits about the author, Cassie Swindon:

• Tackled her father for a pair of Michael Phelps’ personal goggles
• Cried when the Cubs won the World Series
• Met husband freshman year of college- a blizzard & tequila may have been involved
• Moved to Raleigh by the flip of a coin
• Mutated into a zombie when daughter was born in 2013, then again 17 months later for son
• Evacuated from a boat crash in the Atlantic during a whale watching tour
• Witnessed a wild horse pack galloping through the Rockies
• Cofounded a three-person Beanie Baby Club in the 90s, in a treehouse
• Snorkeled in The Great Barrier Reef
• Broke her foot when pretending to be a Baywatch lifeguard
• Completed her first fiction read in 1992, “The Pig Can Jig”
• Stranded in a Cancun lagoon while jet skiing
• Crunched the back of a Dodge Neon against a wall while transporting a Medieval knight to a pub

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1 Amazon gift card

1 paperback copy of Scorched

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Science fiction and fantasy anthology cover reveal: L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 39

L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 39 

by L. Ron Hubbard (Author), Kevin J. Anderson (Author), Kristine Kathryn Rusch (Author), S. M. Stirling (Author), Lazarus Chernik (Author), Samuel Parr (Author), Spencer Sekulin (Author), L. H. Davis (Author), Devon Bohm (Author), Arthur H. Manners (Author), David Hankins (Author), David K. Henrickson (Author), J. R. Johnson (Author), Elaine Midcoh (Author), Marianne Xenos (Author), Jason Palmatier (Author), T. J. Knight (Author), Tom Wood (Illustrator), Alexandra Albu (Illustrator), Clarence Bateman (Illustrator), Dao Vi (Illustrator), Sarah Morrison (Illustrator), Ximing Luo (Illustrator), Alaya Knowlton (Illustrator), Kristen Hadaway (Illustrator), José Sánchez (Illustrator), Helen Yi (Illustrator), Chris Binns (Illustrator), April Solomon (Illustrator), Chris Arias (Illustrator), Bruce Brenneise (Illustrator), Nick Jizba (Illustrator), Dean Wesley Smith (Editor), Jody Lynn Nye (Editor) 

Release Date: May 16, 2023

498 pages

Genre: Science fiction and fantasy anthology

From vampires and werewolves to space exploration and time travel, you will love these 12 original and diverse stories because they were selected by some of your favorite authors.

In the world of speculative fiction…

Your favorite authors…

Have selected best new voices of the year.

24 Award-winning Authors and Illustrators

3 Bonus Short Stories by Kevin J. Anderson • L. Ron Hubbard • S. M. Stirling

Art and Writing Tips by Lazarus Chernik • L. Ron Hubbard • Kristine Kathryn Rusch

Edited by Dean Wesley Smith • Jody Lynn Nye

16-page color gallery of artwork • Cover art by Tom Wood

Check out the stories Brandon Sanderson, Orson Scott Card, Nnedi Okorafor, Robert J. Sawyer, Kevin J. Anderson, Jody Lynn Nye and others chose as the best of the best.

Be amazed. Be amused. Be transported … by stories that take you by surprise and take you further and deeper into new worlds and new ideas than you’ve ever gone before….

Twelve captivating tales from the most exciting new voices in science fiction and fantasy accompanied by three from masters of the genre.

A miracle? An omen? Or something else? One day, they arrived in droves—the foxes of the desert, the field, the imagination….—“Kitsune” by Devon Bohm

When a vampire, a dragon and a shape-shifting Chihuahua meet on a beach in Key West, fireworks go off! But that’s just the background.—“Moonlight and Funk” by Marianne Xenos

The Grim Reaper, trapped in an IRS agent’s dying body, must regain his powers before he dies and faces judgment for his original sin.—“Death and the Taxman” by David Hankins

In a metaverse future, a woman who exposes falseness in others must decide what is real to her—the love she lost or the love she may have found.—“Under My Cypresses” by Jason Palmatier

Vic Harden wasn’t lured by glory on a daring mission into the reaches of outer space—he was ordered out there by his editor.—“The Unwilling Hero” by L. Ron Hubbard

Dangerous opportunities present themselves when an alien ship arrives in the solar system seeking repairs.—“White Elephant” by David K. Henrickson

With her spaceship at the wrong end of a pirate’s guns, a former war hero must face down her enemies and demons to save Earth’s last best chance for peace.—“Piracy for Beginners” by J. R. Johnson

Dan Shamble, Zombie P.I., faces one of his funniest and most perplexing cases ever—an enlightened ogre, a salamander with low self-esteem, and a raging fire dragon terrorizing the Unnatural Quarter!—“Fire in the Hole” by Kevin J. Anderson

Years after the Second Holocaust, the last surviving Jews on earth attempt to rewrite the past.—“A Trickle in History” by Elaine Midcoh

When I said I’d do anything to pay off my debts and get back home to Earth, I didn’t mean survey a derelict spaceship at the edge of the solar system—but here I am.—“The Withering Sky” by Arthur H. Manner

High-powered telescopes bring galactic life to our TVs, and network tuner Hank Enos figures he’s seen everything—until the day an alien boy stares back.—“The Fall of Crodendra M.” by T. J. Knight

Knights, damsels and dragons, curses and fates foretold—the stuff of legends and stories, but unexpectedly perverse.—“Constant Never” by S. M. Stirling

Determined to save his wife, Tumelo takes an unlikely client through South Africa’s ruins to the heart of the Desolation—a journey that will cost or save everything.—“The Children of Desolation” by Spencer Sekulin

When a terrorist smuggles a nuclear weapon into London, a team regresses in time to AD 1093 to assassinate a knight on the battlefield, thereby eliminating the terrorist a millennia before his birth.—“Timelines and Bloodlines” by L. H. Davis

The Grand Exam, a gateway to power for one, likely death for all others—its entrants include ambitious nobles, desperate peasants, and Quiet Gate, an old woman with nothing left to lose.—“The Last History” by Samuel Parr

You will love this collection of the best new voices in science fiction and fantasy because, as Locus magazine puts it, “Not only is the writing excellent...it is also extremely varied. There’s a lot of hot new talent.”

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Writers of the Future Judges

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